Business Planning: Commercial Controller at Human Destiny Executive Search and Recruitment

Internal  Contacts:

• Financial Director.
• Commercial Director.
• Business Planning Finance.
• CBS Finance.
• Commercial Team Domestic.
• Commercial Team Exports.
• Demand Planner Team.

Key Responsibilities:

1.Strategic Management:

• Supporting the Senior Commercial team in developing the commercial strategy and analyzing the potential sales impact and profitability of different strategies.
• Leading the financial evaluation of the difference business strategies (Volume/Pricing/Mix - Customers and Brands).
• Supporting of Management (GM and Directors) in evaluating top line strategies from a financial standpoint.
• Computing, analysing and making recommendations on business optimization and investment opportunities in consultation with other functions to maximize profitability.
• Ensuring that Company spend, and Topline proposals are in line with Company/ Group Strategy and Objectives.

2.Financial Analysis:

• Monitoring commercial spend vs YA / budget / Estimate.
• Monitoring the sales performance (Volume & Net Sales) vs budget / YA/Estimate.
• Monitoring, controlling and reporting on Commercial spend. Implement mechanisms and tools to facilitate this.
• Supporting the Sales team by challenging the Commercial strategy based on financial analysis.
• Issuing recommendations of investment in the current business in order to maximize profitability.
• Return on investment calculations.
• Customer profitability analysis.
• Customer/Brand Profitability.
• Daily monitoring of sales, sales rates, promo spend and reporting to various.
• Daily and monthly monitoring of product mix.
• New business profitability analysis/recommendation.

3.Financial Planning and Management:

3.1.Management:

• Understanding all micro-processes related to sales, within SAP, BI and TTM.
• Ensuring that processes are being followed and internal controls are in place.
• Controlling of Gross sales, Trade Support spend and Net sales in the G/L.
• Maintenance of TTM contractual terms.
• Approval of trade support spend in conjunction with Commercial teams.
• Month end closure of Net Sales ensuring that all accruals have been raised.
• Ensuring that SAP, Essbase and Microstart are in balance before month end closure.

3.2.Financial Planning:
Topline:
3.2.1.Detailed Monthly forecasting of Topline highlighting

• Gap to target.
• Volume Price Mix Variances vs PY/Previous Forecast.
• Risks and Opportunities.
• Exceptions.
• Recommendations.

3.2.2.Topline Growth and Demand Planning:

• Active member in Topline growth meetings.
• Financial evaluation of all Commercial Topline growth initiates.
• Providing the Commercial team with recommendations to improve their initiatives.
• Active member in Demand Consensus and Demand Meeting.
• Closely collaborate with demand planning team on rolling forecast of sales.
• Challenging Commercial and demand planning teams on reasonability of forecasts.
• Building the Rolling Forecasts from volume to Net sales by customer/SKU.

4.Business Case:
Adhoc.

5.Reporting:

• Generation of internal and group reporting.
• Manage the financial reporting to the group making sure deadlines are met and information is accurate.
• Monthly reporting of Vol and Net Sales by Brand of actuals.
• Weekly reporting of the trend analysis.
• Monthly reporting of the Rolling forecast Vol and Net Sales by Brand.
• Adhoc reporting schedules requested by the Group.

6.Business Information Management and Systems:

• Maintaining and improving SAP, Essbase and TTM to better suit business needs.

Competencies Required:

• Accounting & Financial Analysis.
• Forecasting/Budgeting.
• Project Management.
• Planning & Controlling.
• Financial Modelling.
• Process Governance & Excellence.
• Monitoring Performance Indicators.
• Decision Support.

Academic and Trade Qualifications:

• Chartered Accountant or Bachelor of Accounting with CIMA.

Work Experience and Skills:

• At least 5 years’ experience as a Business Controller/Business
  Planning/Financial Manager.
• Commercial Fast Moving Consumer Goods experience will be advantageous.
•  Experience in Auditing would be advantageous.
• Should ideally have worked for a Multinational Company.
• Must have budget building and controlling experience.
• Advanced Excel.
• Building financial models.

Personal Characteristics and Behavioural Traits:

• Strong interpersonal, communication and leadership skills.
• Strong relationship builder.
• Analytical thinking.
• Attention to detail.
• Deadline driven.
• Strong Influencing skills.
• Assertive.
• Personal integrity.
• Flexible.
• Enthusiastic with a can-do attitude.